International Schools and Kindergartens in Moscow
All children in Russia have the right to receive general and vocational education free of charge and on a selective basis, free non-university and university level higher education and postgraduate education in state and municipal educational establishments (one course programme at each level). Since the language of instruction is Russian, children are expected to have a good command of it (the exact requirements can be discussed with the exact educational institution).
Before school, children typically go to kindergarten or other pre-school establishments from the age of three. Most Russian children attend state kindergartens and schools near their homes. However, recent years have been marked by a rise in the number of foreign specialists working in Russia. Given that they often have families and children of school age, the demand for kindergartens and schools that can accommodate foreign children has increased. There are a number of private international kindergartens and schools in Moscow which usually charge tuition fees.
Here are some private kindergartens in Moscow:
- American Embassy Childcare and Preschool
Location: Bol. Devyatinskiy per. 8, Krasnopresnenskaya Metro station
AECP provides comprehensive childcare service, including year-round daycare and a preschool, all in a secure setting inside the U.S. Embassy compound.
The Preschool provides morning sessions for 3-year-olds and evening sessions for 4-year-olds.
Daycare is available for children aged from 18 months to 4 years.
Enrollment is for children with at least one US citizen parent resident in Russia or with a foreign diplomatic passport.
Location: Granatnyy per. 20, Barrikadnaya Metro station
Founded in 2003 as a children’s club for studying English, this has developed into an educational institution which was awarded the title of one of the 100 best preschool educational establishments in Russia in 2014. Teaching and childcare are conducted in Russian and English, thus providing solid ground for further learning of both languages. It offers a number of additional programmes, such as drama, arts and music. Children’s groups start from the age of 3. Kindergarten: full day and half-day.
Admission upon test assessment.
Location: Novocheremushkinskaya str., 49, office 12, Profsoyuznaya Metro station
An international bilingual English kindergarten founded in 2004, this offers a programme based on the British National Curriculum for early years. This kindergarten works with children from 16 months to 7 years and offers optional classes in Russian, Italian, French and German. Admission upon assessment.
Location: the centre has 6 branches in Moscow and its suburbs
Dobrynya (3-6 years), 4th Dobryninskiy per., Dobryninskaya Metro station
Obrucheva (3-6 years), Obrucheva str., 4/3, Kaluzhskaya Metro station
Private centre established in 2004. Offers bilingual education and development for children from 2 to 11 years with a full British curriculum in both the Nursery and Primary school and 2 parallel programmes of British and Russian curriculum.
Baby club for youngest children aged 1.5-2.5 years twice a week for 1.5 hours.
Enrollment upon evaluation assessment.
Location: 36 Fabritsiusa Ulitsa
Britannia School was founded in 2015. It is a nursery and a preschool for children aged 1.5 to 7 years. The school provides classic British Early Years and primary education. All instruction at school is conducted in English by native speaking teachers. All children are required to successfully pass an assessment to enroll into the school.
A few other nurseries and preschools in Moscow:
- Playschool Moscow
- Magic World, art private kindergarten with UNESCO assistance
- Magic Castle
- P’tit Cref, trilingual early education centre
There are a few Embassy schools of the respective countries in Moscow.
- German School Moscow (Deutshce Schule Moscau)
Location: Vernadskogo prospect, 103/5, Prospekt Vernadskogo Metro station
The school is one of the international German-language schools recognized by the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Länder, and possesses the status of an Embassy school.
Its current programme was launched in 2010, and is based on Thuringia academic curriculum.
The school is an open-all-day school with a kindergarten, primary and secondary schools.
Admission to kindergarten is for children aged 3 and with appropriate knowledge of the language. It is also recommended to put children on the waiting list beforehand.
Primary school includes classes from 1 to 4. Admission is from the age of 6. Children whose mother tongue is not German will undergo a language and other children’s skills assessment.
- The Alexander Dumas French School in Moscow (Lycee Alexandre Dumas)
Location: Milyutinskiy per., 7A, Chistye Prudy / Turgenevskaya / Sretenskiy Bul’var Metro stations (Junior and Senior School, Infant and Primary school)
This institution, under the aegis of the Agency for French Education abroad (AEFE), offers its pupils schooling that adheres to and follows the French national curriculum. The school strives for excellence in five areas defined by the school project, namely Foreign languages and cultures, Mathematics and experimental sciences, Drama and literature, Sports and well-being, and Citizenship.
The school has a kindergarten/infant and primary school (from the ages of 3 to 10), and the junior and senior schools which make the Lycée Alexandre Dumas a secondary school with children from the ages of 11 to 17.
A few other Embassy schools:
The building on Leninskiy pr-t 78A, Universitet Metro station, comprises 4 schools:
- Japanese School for children of Embassy staff
- The Moscow Finnish School – a private school for children of the Embassy and Finnish companies employees. The language of instruction is Finnish
- Italian School Italo Calvino (Scuola Italiana di Mosca) – the only accredited Italian school in Russia. Includes a kindergarten (ages 2-5), Italian school (ages 6-13) and lyceum (ages 14-17)
- The Swedish School in Moscow is open for children with links to Scandinavia (Sweden, Denmark, and Russia) aged from 2 to 16. The school follows the Swedish curriculum and instruction is given in Swedish
- Embassy of India School (KV) Moscow
- Indonesian School of Moscow
A few of the most popular international schools in Moscow:
Location: the BISM has a few campuses distributed between Northern and Southern districts, also differing in stages
Bolshaya Akademicheskaya str. 24, Voykovskaya / Sokol Metro station
Nakhimovskiy prospect 35A and B, Novye Cheremushki / Profsoyuznaya Metro station
Novoyasenevskiy prospect, 19/5, Novoyasenevskaya Metro station
BISM is a non-government educational institution, established in 1994, licensed by the Moscow Department of Education. The primary curriculum is based on the English National Curriculum and is available for children from the ages of 3 to 18. There is also the Russian Department in which the teaching is based on the state approved Russian curriculum with elements of the English National Curriculum for children from the ages of 4 to 17.
Pupils in the secondary sector classes prepare for the IGCSE examinations (the International General Certificate of Secondary Education), following Cambridge and Edexcel approved syllabuses. In the final years of school, pupils take exams and receive the internationally recognized International Baccalaureate Diploma and the British A-level Programme, which enables them to enter western universities and colleges of higher education.
Admission to the School will be determined by the Head of School, with the advice of the teaching staff. There is also a certain order of priority: children of staff, children who have a sibling already enrolled in or admitted to the school, children for whom English is the natural language of education and who therefore require the provision of English language based education in Moscow, children of a particular Embassy or Company group that already work with BISM, other children.
Location: Krylatskaya str. 12, Krylatskoe Metro station
IRC Rosinka, Angelovo village, Moscow region
The International School of Moscow is an accredited examination centre for University of Cambridge exams, for Pearson Education Limited (also known as Edexcel), fully licensed by Russian authorities, including the Department of Education.
ISM follows the English National Curriculum. Admission to the school is selective, and follows a clear administrative procedure. The level of spoken and written English is a determining factor. Depending on the key stage or year group, different entry requirements are applicable: for example, for Early Years / Foundation Stage (Ages 2 to 4) priority will be given to students with native/high levels of English, though at these ages more flexibility with the level required is applicable. Key Stage 1 (Ages 5 and 6): at these ages it is expected that an applicant will have an adequate command of the English language, being able to communicate and receive instructions from teachers. A simple written assessment will be undertaken, in both Mathematics and English. Standards of behaviour and social interaction are also taken into account. Children who have successfully passed the assessment procedure, but whose year group is already full, will be placed on a waiting list. Priority in the waiting list will be given to: siblings of current students; children transferring from a sister school of The British Schools Group; UK nationals; children of Staff members; other children.
Note: Within each category, priority is given to pupils who have the best level of English.
- Moscow Economic School (MES)
Location: Zamorenova str. 29, Ulitsa 1905 goda Metro station
Zaytsevo village, 1A, Moscow region
MES is a private educational institution, established in 1993, and in 2010 granted the status of gymnasium. In 2013 it was accredited by the Council of International Schools. MES is a member of the European Council of International Schools and the Association for the Advancement of International Education. It has also been awarded the status of examination center by Cambridge University (Cambridge ESOL Exam Preparation Center), and since 1996 has offered the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum to students in primary, middle, and high school programmes, which encompass grades 1 through 12.
It offers classes from kindergarten to 12th grade. The school is striving to be bilingual, though Russian is the primary language of instruction in the elementary and middle programmes, but English is beginning to be used as an instructive language in their core subjects beginning in the 1st grade.
Admission to the school is on general terms, both for the children of Russian citizens and foreigners. The test is a preadmission assessment including mathematics, English and Russian.
Location: the school includes three campuses around Moscow
EIS Moscow East (Metro: Novogireevo, Zeleny prospect 66A)
EIS Moscow West (Metro: Molodyozhnaya, Ulitsa Molodogvardeyskaya, 9)
EIS Moscow South-West (Metro Prospekt Vernadskogo, Ulitsa Lobachevskogo, 14)
This private school implements the English National Curriculum for students from 3 to 18 years old with the Cambridge International Examinations (IGCSE and A-Level). 12 students per class on average; 53 teachers, students from over 50 countries, a British leadership team. Accreditation by CIS (Council of International Schools) and COBIS (Council Of British International Schools). E.I.S is part of an international network called Orbital based in UK.
Brookes Moscow International Baccalaureate (IB) World Continuum School
Location: Lazorevyy Proyezd, 7, Moscow, 129323, Metro: Botanichesky Sad
Next-Generation International IB School in Moscow. The 800-pupil innovative Brookes Moscow campus welcomes local and international students from age 2 to 18 to its campus and offers a range of the International Baccalaureate programmes. Brookes Moscow is a member of the Brookes Education Group (BEG), a global family of IB schools with seven campuses around the world, including major ones in Cambridge (founded in 1982), Silicon Valley and Seoul.
Enrollment upon evaluation assessment.
Documents for admission
Every institution requires its own set of documents. However, typically the following documents are requested:
- birth certificate
- health insurance, health examination form
- previous school record
For admission to Russian state schools, the following are also required:
- a notarized translation of parent’s passport
- a notarized translation of the child’s birth certificate
- Moscow registration
- Russian visa valid for at least a year